System and method for trasmitting financial information via color matrix code

ABSTRACT

An apparatus may include a memory to store instructions; and processing circuitry, coupled with the memory, operable to execute the instructions. When executed, the instructions may cause the processing circuitry to identify a matrix code; read a first layer of the matrix code, the first layer comprising a first account identifier associated with an account, wherein the first layer corresponds to a first color channel; and read a second layer of the matrix code, the second layer comprising a set of account data, associated with the account, wherein the second layer corresponds to a second color channel, different than the first color channel.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/248,440, titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING FINANCIALINFORMATION VIA COLOR MATRIX CODE” filed on Jan. 15, 2019. The contentsof the aforementioned application are incorporated herein by referencein their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments herein generally relate to financial transactions, and morespecifically, to conducting secure transactions via matrix code.

BACKGROUND

Matrix codes are widely deployed to store and transmit data andinformation, including financial information. At present matrix codesmay be designed to provide rapid access to data using known scanningtechniques and devices. While information may be encoded, present daymatrix codes may be prone to errors and may be relatively limited in theamount of data encoded. Reading and transmitting of information storedin matrix codes may therefore be unsatisfactory for purposes of manytransactions, including transferring of financial assets, where accuracyand security may be at a premium.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, there are disclosed a system, method and anon-transitory computer readable medium that implements processingcircuitry to transmit financial information via color matrix code.

In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided, including a memory to storeinstructions; and processing circuitry, coupled with the memory,operable to execute the instructions. When executed, the instructionsmay cause the processing circuitry to identify a matrix code; read afirst layer of the matrix code, the first layer comprising a firstaccount identifier associated with an account, wherein the first layercorresponds to a first color channel; and read a second layer of thematrix code, the second layer comprising a set of account data,associated with the account, wherein the second layer corresponds to asecond color channel, different than the first color channel.

In a further embodiment, a method may include receiving a message,comprising a matrix code. The matrix code may include a first layercomprising a first account identifier associated with an account,wherein the first layer comprises a first color channel; and a secondlayer, the second layer comprising a set of account data, associatedwith the account, wherein the second layer comprises a second colorchannel, different than the first color channel. The method may includetransmitting a response to the message, the response comprising atransaction authorization, associated with the account.

In another embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumis provided for storing computer-readable program code executable by aprocessor to receive a message, comprising a matrix code. The matrixcode may include a first layer comprising a first account identifierassociated with an account, wherein the first layer comprises a firstcolor channel, and a second layer, the second layer comprising a set ofaccount data, associated with the account, wherein the second layercomprises a second color channel, different than the first colorchannel. The computer-readable program code may be further executable bythe processor to transmit a response to the message, the responsecomprising transaction authorization, associated with the account.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a system.

FIG. 2A provides details of one variant of the system of FIG. 1A.

FIGS. 2B-2D provide details of generating one variant of a color matrixcode, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 presents another scenario for processing a color matrix code,according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows a system according to additional embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 5 depicts another exemplary color matrix code, according to someembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary color matrix code, according to someembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a first logic flow.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a second logic flow.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a third logic flow.

FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a computing architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments disclosed herein provide a novel system and method forconducting financial transactions via matrix codes. According toembodiments of the disclosure, a color-based matrix code (or “colormatrix code”) is provided to encode different types of financialinformation in different layers of the color matrix code. In particularembodiments, the matrix code may be composed of at least two colorchannels, where a given color channel corresponds to a determined rangeof color in any suitable color space.

One example of a color matrix code is a matrix code where differentcolor channels are created from an RGB (red-blue-green) color space.Another example of a color matrix code uses color channels created atleast in part from a LAB color space. The LAB color space (or CIELABcolor space) is a color space defined by the International Commission onIllumination (CIE) in 1976. and expresses color as three numericalvalues, L* for the lightness and a* and b* for the green-red andblue-yellow color components.

With general reference to notations and nomenclature used herein, one ormore portions of the detailed description which follows may be presentedin terms of program procedures executed on a computer or network ofcomputers. These procedural descriptions and representations are used bythose skilled in the art to most effectively convey the substances oftheir work to others skilled in the art. A procedure is here, andgenerally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of operationsleading to a desired result. These operations are those requiringphysical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though notnecessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical, magnetic, oroptical signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined,compared, and otherwise manipulated. It proves convenient at times,principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals asbits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or thelike. It should be noted, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to those quantities.

Further, these manipulations are often referred to in terms, such asadding or comparing, which are commonly associated with mentaloperations performed by a human operator. However, no such capability ofa human operator is necessary, or desirable in most cases, in any of theoperations described herein that form part of one or more embodiments.Rather, these operations are machine operations. Useful machines forperforming operations of various embodiments include digital computersas selectively activated or configured by a computer program storedwithin that is written in accordance with the teachings herein, and/orinclude apparatus specially constructed for the required purpose.Various embodiments also relate to apparatus or systems for performingthese operations. These apparatuses may be specially constructed for therequired purpose. The required structure for a variety of these machineswill be apparent from the description given.

Reference is now made to the drawings, wherein like reference numeralsare used to refer to like elements throughout. In the followingdescription, for the purpose of explanation, numerous specific detailsare set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. Itmay be evident, however, that the novel embodiments can be practicedwithout these specific details. In other instances, well knownstructures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order tofacilitate a description thereof. The intention is to cover allmodification, equivalents, and alternatives within the scope of theclaims.

FIG. 1 depicts a schematic of a system 100, consistent with disclosedembodiments. The system 100 may comprise one or more providers, shown asprovider 120, where the provider may supply a product or service to acustomer (not shown) via use of a transaction device 110. In someexamples, the transaction device 110 may be a card, such as atransaction card. The transaction device 110 may include a color matrixcode 112, described in more detail below. In brief, the color matrixcode 112 may be arranged as a two-dimensional multi-color image, havinga structure similar to known black and white matrix codes. The colormatrix code 112 may provide data or information readable by a scanner orcamera, such as a color camera (not shown). During a transaction, thecolor matrix code 112 may be presented to a provider 120 to facilitate afinancial transaction, such as a transfer of financial assets from or toa financial account. Thus, a provider camera may scan the color matrixcode 112 to generate a scanned color matrix code 112A, to be transmittedas a message 132 in electrical, electronic, or electromagnetic means, toan outside party, such as a financial institution system 140. Thetransmission of the scanned color matrix code 112A may be performed astransmission of digital data, for example. In the description to followthe term “color matrix code” may refer to information or data extractedfrom a color matrix code, such as the scanned color matrix code 112A, aswell as data embedded in individual layers of the scanned color matrixcode.

As detailed below, the color matrix code 112 may embed various levels ofinformation, in a plurality of layers, to be received by the outsideparty, such as the financial institution system 140. In turn, thefinancial institution system 140 may include s Color Matrix codeVerification System, to read the information in the color matrix code112 (or scanned color matrix code 112A), in particular, in differentlayers of the color matrix code 112. In turn, the financial institutionsystem 140 may transmit a response message 134 to the provider 120,responsive to the receiving of the color matrix code 112. The responsemessage may authorize or facilitate transfer of assets from thefinancial institution associated with the financial institution system140 to the provider 120 in one scenario. Examples of a financialinstitution include a commercial lender, a bank, a brokerage account, acredit card institution, or other commercial institution. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 2A provides details of one variant of the system 100. In thisexample, the provider may include an apparatus, shown as a color matrixcode reader 122, to read the color matrix code 112. The color matrixcode reader 122 may include or may be coupled to a color camera (notseparately shown) to receive and interpret an image of the color matrixcode 112. The color matrix code reader 122 may comprise a computingdevice, such as a server, workstation, desktop, or mobile device (e.g.,laptop, tablet, phablet, smartphone, smartwatch, or similar mobilecomputing device). Generally, in the present embodiments, a provider 120or other providers may include a plurality of color matrix code readers,such as the color matrix code reader 122. Likewise, a financialinstitution system 140 may be a standalone system, may be part of asubsystem, which subsystem may be part of a larger system. For example,financial institution system 104 may include distributed servers thatare remotely located and communicate with other systems of the financialinstitution over a public network, or over a dedicated private network.

More particularly, the color matrix code reader 122 may include a memory124, to store instructions, as well as processing circuitry 126, coupledwith the memory 124, where the processing circuitry 126 is operable toexecute the instructions, that when executed, cause the processingcircuitry 126 to identify a matrix code, including the color matrix code112. As explained in more detail below, the processing circuitry 126 mayread a first layer 114 of the color matrix code, meaning to transforminto digital form information stored in the first layer 114. Theprocessing circuitry 126 may read a second layer 116 of the color matrixcode 112. As such, the first layer 114 and second layer 116 may betransmitted in a message 132 to the financial institution system 140.

Advantageously, consistent with some embodiments of the disclosure, thecolor matrix code 112 may embed different types of information in thedifferent layers of the color matrix code 112. As an example, differentaccount identifiers may be used to identify a commercial or financialinstitution associated with the financial institution system 140, mayidentify a user account of the financial institution, may includespecific account data associated with the user account, and so forth.

Thus, in one implementation, the first layer 114 may comprise a firstaccount identifier associated with an account, and the second layer 116may comprise a second account identifier, associated with the account.As detailed below, the first layer 114 may correspond to a first colorchannel, while the second layer 116 corresponds to a second colorchannel, different from the first color channel.

FIGS. 2B-2D provides details of generating one variant of a color matrixcode, shown as color matrix code 112B, containing user financial accountinformation. The color matrix code 112B may include a first layer 114-1and a second layer 116-1. These layers may correspond to two differentcolor channels. In accordance with various embodiments of thedisclosure, the color channels may be derived from any suitable colorsystem including the RGB system, CIELAB system, and so forth. Generally,different color channels may be defined along any suitable vector incolor space for a given color system. In a three-dimensional system,vectors may define along any direction with three dimensional space.

FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective representation of a LAB color space,where a first channel 114C corresponds to a blue yellow color channel,while a second channel 116C, corresponds to a red green color channel.As shown, the LAB color space also includes a luminance channel 117. Assuch, the first layer 114-1 may be formed by transforming atwo-dimensional black white image into a yellow blue image, while thesecond layer 116-1 is formed by transforming a two-dimensional blackwhite image (in the example shown, the two-dimensional black white imagefor second layer 116-1 is a rotated version of the image for formingfirst layer 114-2) into a red green image. The two color images may thenbe merged or overlaid upon one another to form the color matrix code112B. Notably, a camera device, operating in conjunction with the colormatrix code reader 122, may image the color matrix code 112B and extractthe first layer 114-1 from the second layer 116-1 according to knownimage processing techniques. Said differently, the blue yellow image ofthe first layer 114-1 and the red green image of the second layer 116-1may be individually extracted from the composite color image presentedby the color matrix code 112B. The information contained in the firstlayer 114-1 and second layer 116-1 may then be treated according toknown techniques, including storing, transmitting, or receiving theinformation of the first layer 114-1 and second layer 116-1.

Following the example of FIG. 2, FIG. 3 presents another scenario forprocessing a color matrix code 112, according to embodiments of thedisclosure, using a system 100A. In different implementations, a user(not shown) may present a transaction device 110 to the color matrixcode reader 122. The transaction device 110 may include a permanentimage of the color matrix code 112, such as on a card, or an evanescentimage, such as on an electronic screen of an electronic device, smartphone, tablet, etc. The color matrix code reader 122 may then image thecolor matrix code 112, extract different layers of the color matrixcode, and process the different layers.

During a financial transaction with a provider 120 (see FIG. 1), thecolor matrix code reader 122 may be used to transfer financial assets ofthe user that are managed by the financial institution or provider 120.In the scenario of FIG. 3, the first layer 114 and second layer 116 areextracted from the color matrix code 112 and transmitted in a message132 to financial institution servers 140A via the network 130. Accordingto some embodiments, the color matrix code 112 may store financialinformation in encrypted form. Thus, in one implementation, the firstlayer 114 may comprise a first account identifier associated with anaccount, in encrypted form, while the second layer 116 comprises asecond account identifier, associated with the account, either inencrypted form or in non-encrypted form. Accordingly, when transmittedover the network 130, at least a portion of the information of colormatrix code 112 may be unreadable by a third party, even if interceptedduring transmission.

In various embodiments, the financial institution servers 140A may be asingle server, a group of servers, collocated with one another, ordistributed over a network associated with the financial institution120. Generally, the capability of decrypting the information of thecolor matrix code 112 may be stored in the financial institution servers140A, such as in a memory 124. The memory 124 may thus be embodied inone or more servers, either in partial form, where encryption capabilityassociated with different layers may be stored in different servers, oralternatively, the memory 124 may be duplicated in multiple servers. Asshown in FIG. 3, the memory 124 may include a color matrix codeverification routine 142. The color matrix code verification routine maybe embodied as a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium thatstores computer-readable program code executable by a processor, such asprocessing circuit 126A, to receive the message 132, including the colormatrix code 112.

Generally, in a cryptographic scheme, cryptographic keys may be used toencrypt elements of messages in blocks, consistent with disclosedembodiments. For example, when an element of a message in a block isencrypted with a symmetric key, the same symmetric key may be availablefor decrypting the encrypted element. As another example, when anelement of a message in a block is encrypted with a private key, acorresponding public key may be available for decrypting the encryptedelement. In some aspects, the corresponding cryptographic keys may beavailable to members of authentication system, such as the financialinstitution servers 140A.

In the example of FIG. 3, the color matrix code 112 may be transmittedas the first layer 114 and the second layer 116. In addition, thecomputer-readable program code of color matrix code verification routine142 may additionally be executable to generate and transmit a responsemessage 134. In the example of FIG. 3, the response message 134 may besent to the provider 120 for processing. As further shown in FIG. 3, thecolor matrix verification routine 142 may include a layer decryptionprocessor 144, as well as an account verification processor 146. Assuch, the layer decryption processor 144 may be triggered by receipt ofthe message 132 to decrypt on or more layers of the color matrix code112. For example, the financial institution servers 140A may include adecryption key 148, operative to decrypt information of the first layer114. The account verification processor 146 may be operative to generatean account authorization response 149 in the response message 134 toauthorize a financial transaction associated with a financial accountidentified in the color matrix code 112.

In one embodiment, the first layer 114 may include general bank accountinformation for a financial account of the user of transaction device110, while the second layer includes a routing number for the financialaccount. In one implementation, the routing number may be encrypted inthe first layer 114, while the layer decryption processor 144 uses thedecryption key 148 to decrypt the information of first layer 114 todetermine the routing number. The financial institution servers 140A maythen retrieve certain information associated with the financial accountand generate the account authorization response 149 for sending to theprovider 120 when appropriate. In one embodiment, the accountauthorization response 149 may include sufficient information for theprovider 120 to debit or transfer assets from the user financial accountassociated with color matrix code 112.

In further embodiments of the disclosure, a color matrix code mayinclude multiple encrypted layers, where different encrypted informationis stored in different layers. FIG. 4 shows a system 100A, where a colormatrix code 212 includes an encrypted first layer 114A and an encryptedsecond layer 116A. After being extracted from the color matrix code 212at the provider 120, the encrypted first layer 114A and an encryptedsecond layer 116A may be transmitted in message 132B to a server A 170.As an example, a given layer of the color matrix code 212 may include afirst address, where the processing circuitry 126 is arranged totransmit at least one layer of the color matrix code 212 to the firstaddress (for the sever A 170), upon reading of the first layer and thesecond layer. In the example of FIG. 4, the encrypted first layer 114Aand an encrypted second layer 116A may be transmitted initially to theserver A 170. The server A 170, in turn, may include a first layerdecryption key 154, to facilitate decryption of the encrypted firstlayer 114A.

To increase security, the encrypted second layer 116A may be sent to adifferent server, shown as server B 180, for decryption. The colormatrix code 212 may include a second address (for the server B 180). Inthe example of FIG. 4, the server A 170 may forward a message includingthe decrypted first layer 114B and encrypted second layer 116A. In otherembodiments, the encrypted second layer 116A may be sent directly to theserver B 180 from the provider 120. Following the example of FIG. 4, theserver B 180 may include a second layer decryption key 156, tofacilitate decryption of the encrypted second layer 116A, generating thedecrypted second layer 116B. After determining the account informationprovided in the decrypted second layer 116B, and the decrypted firstlayer 114B, the financial institution, as embodied in server B 180 mayreturn an account authorization message 150 to the provider 120.

Thus, different layers of the color matrix code may be decrypted bydifferent servers, wherein no message transmitted across a networkincludes all the layers of the color matrix code 212 in unencryptedform.

To facilitate flexibility of processing a color matrix code may bearranged wherein a first layer containing a first set of informationinclude a first address, while a second layer containing a second set ofinformation includes a second address, different from the first address.FIG. 5 presents a color matrix code 300, including a first layer 310 andsecond layer 316. As such, the first layer 310 may correspond to a firstcolor channel, while the second layer 316 corresponds to a second colorchannel. The first layer 310 further includes and address 1 302 andaccount information A 304, while second layer 316 further includes andaddress 2 312 and account information B 314. As such, the color matrixcode 300 may be processed to send different layers of the color matrixcode 300 to different servers or computers, associated with thedifferent addresses. As in the embodiments of FIG. 4, at least one ofthe layers of the color matrix code 0 may be stored in encrypted form.

While aforementioned embodiments have highlighted color matrix codeprocessing using two layers, in other embodiments, a color matrix codemay include three or more layers. In particular embodiments, a firstlayer, corresponding to a first color channel, may include a firstaccount identifier associated with a financial account, while a secondlayer, corresponding to a second color channel, includes account data ofthe financial account. A third layer may include a second accountidentifier, associated with the account, where the third layercorresponds to a third color channel, different from the first colorchannel and the second color channel.

FIG. 6 depicts a color matrix code 412 including a first layer 114,second layer 116, and third layer 118. As such these layers may includeaccount information A, account information B and account information C,respectively. These different layers may be read, decrypted, and/orprocessed in different computers (servers) of the same server as thecase may be.

In one embodiment, first layer 114 may include an account number of afinancial account, the third layer 118, a router number of the financialaccount, and the second layer 116 an account balance of the financialaccount. An advantage of embedding the different layers in a colormatrix code is that more information may be contained in the colormatrix code 412, composed of three different layers, than in a knownblack and white matrix code, having a similar size. The provision ofseparate layers to capture account information in three different layersalso may reduce errors due to more reliable encoding of information in acolor matrix code as compared to black and white matrix codes.

While the aforementioned embodiments have described color matrix codesincluding layers that correspond to a given color channel within visiblelight range, such as red-green or blue-yellow, in other embodiments, atleast one layer of the color matrix code may correspond to a colorchannel lying at least partially outside of the visible light range.Exemplary layers of a color matrix code may include a layercorresponding to an infrared color channel, or to an ultraviolet colorchannel. As such, a color matrix code formed having a layer formed froma non-visible light color channel may include known materials readableby an infrared detector (camera) or an ultraviolet detector (camera). Insome examples, a given camera or system for imaging a color matrix codeincluding an infrared layer or ultraviolet layer may include detectionapparatus capable of imaging both visible radiation and infraredradiation in a near infrared color range, or ultraviolet radiation in anultraviolet color range, as the case may be.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a logic flow 600. The logic flow 600may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by oneor more embodiments described herein. Embodiments are not limited inthis context. At block 610, a message is received including a colormatrix code. The color matrix code may include a plurality of accountinformation or items, associated with an account, such as a financialaccount. At block 620, a first layer of the color matrix code is read.The first layer may correspond to a first color channel of the colormatrix code. At block 630, a second layer of the color matrix code isread. The second layer may correspond to a second color channel of thecolor matrix code, different than the first color channel. In so doing,the reading of the first layer and the second layer may provide accountidentifier(s) for the financial account, as well as other information.

At block 640, a response message is transmitted, where the responsemessage may include authorization for a transaction related to thefinancial account, as well as specific account information. The responsemessage may be transmitted to the source of the message including thecolor matrix code.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a logic flow 650. The logic flow 650may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by oneor more embodiments described herein. Embodiments are not limited inthis context. At block 660, a message is received including a colormatrix code, where the color matrix code includes a first layer and asecond layer, encoding account information. The message may be receivedat a financial institution in some embodiments. The first layer may beformed using colors in a first color channel while the second layer isformed using colors in a second color channel, different from the firstcolor channel. According to various embodiments, the first layer and thesecond layer may each encode information in encrypted form.

At block 670, the first layer is decrypted to determine a first accountitem. In some embodiments, the first account item may correspond toaccount information of a user financial account. The decryption may beperformed according to any suitable encryption/decryption scheme. Insome embodiments, a decryption key related to the user financial accountmay be stored in the financial institution. The decryption key may beused to decrypt the first layer. The first account item may identify alocation of the user financial account, such as a router number.

Similarly to block 670, At block 680, the second layer is decrypted todetermine a second account item.

At block 690, a user account is determined based upon the first accountitem and the second account item.

At block 700, an account authorization for the user account is provided.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a logic flow 800. The logic flow 800may be representative of some or all of the operations executed by oneor more embodiments described herein. Embodiments are not limited inthis context.

At block 810, a Color Matrix Code is received at a first address, wherethe color matrix code comprises a first encrypted layer and a secondencrypted layer. At block 820, the First Layer is decrypted to determinefirst account Item and a second address. At block 830, the color matrixcode is sent to second address for decryption. At block 840, the secondLayer is decrypted to determine second account item. At block 850, anaccount transaction is authorized for user account based upon firstaccount item and second account item.

FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a computing architecture 900comprising a computing system 902 that may be suitable for implementingvarious embodiments as previously described. In various embodiments, thecomputing architecture 900 may comprise or be implemented as part of anelectronic device. In some embodiments, the computing architecture 900may be representative, for example, of a system that implements one ormore components of the system 100. In some embodiments, computing system902 may be representative, for example, of a color matrix code reader ofa provider 140, financial institution servers 140A, and so forth. Moregenerally, the computing architecture 900 is configured to implement alllogic, applications, systems, methods, apparatuses, and functionalitydescribed herein with reference to FIGS. 1-9.

As used in this application, the terms “system” and “component” and“module” are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, eitherhardware, a combination of hardware and software, software, or softwarein execution, examples of which are provided by the exemplary computingarchitecture 900. For example, a component can be, but is not limited tobeing, a process running on a processor, a processor, a hard disk drive,multiple storage drives (of optical and/or magnetic storage medium), anobject, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or acomputer. By way of illustration, both an application running on aserver and the server can be a component. One or more components canreside within a process and/or thread of execution, and a component canbe localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or morecomputers. Further, components may be communicatively coupled to eachother by various types of communications media to coordinate operations.The coordination may involve the uni-directional or bi-directionalexchange of information. For instance, the components may communicateinformation in the form of signals communicated over the communicationsmedia. The information can be implemented as signals allocated tovarious signal lines. In such allocations, each message is a signal.Further embodiments, however, may alternatively employ data messages.Such data messages may be sent across various connections. Exemplaryconnections include parallel interfaces, serial interfaces, and businterfaces.

The computing system 902 includes various common computing elements,such as one or more processors, multi-core processors, co-processors,memory units, chipsets, controllers, peripherals, interfaces,oscillators, timing devices, video cards, audio cards, multimediainput/output (I/O) components, power supplies, and so forth. Theembodiments, however, are not limited to implementation by the computingsystem 902.

As shown in FIG. 9, the computing system 902 comprises a processor 904,a system memory 906 and a system bus 908. The processor 904 can be anyof various commercially available processors, including withoutlimitation an AMD® Athlon®, Duron® and Opteron® processors; ARM®application, embedded and secure processors; IBM® and Motorola®DragonBall® and PowerPC® processors; IBM and Sony® Cell processors;Intel® Celeron®, Core®, Core (2) Duo®, Itanium®, Pentium®, Xeon®, andXScale® processors; and similar processors. Dual microprocessors,multi-core processors, and other multi-processor architectures may alsobe employed as the processor 904.

The system bus 908 provides an interface for system componentsincluding, but not limited to, the system memory 906 to the processor904. The system bus 908 can be any of several types of bus structurethat may further interconnect to a memory bus (with or without a memorycontroller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety ofcommercially available bus architectures. Interface adapters may connectto the system bus 908 via a slot architecture. Example slotarchitectures may include without limitation Accelerated Graphics Port(AGP), Card Bus, (Extended) Industry Standard Architecture ((E)ISA),Micro Channel Architecture (MCA), NuBus, Peripheral ComponentInterconnect (Extended) (PCI(X)), PCI Express, Personal Computer MemoryCard International Association (PCMCIA), and the like.

The system memory 906 may include various types of computer-readablestorage media in the form of one or more higher speed memory units, suchas read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM(DRAM), Double-Data-Rate DRAM (DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), staticRAM (SRAM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory (e.g., oneor more flash arrays), polymer memory such as ferroelectric polymermemory, ovonic memory, phase change or ferroelectric memory,silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory, magnetic or opticalcards, an array of devices such as Redundant Array of Independent Disks(RAID) drives, solid state memory devices (e.g., USB memory, solid statedrives (SSD) and any other type of storage media suitable for storinginformation. In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the systemmemory 906 can include non-volatile memory 910 and/or volatile memory912. A basic input/output system (BIOS) can be stored in thenon-volatile memory 910.

The computing system 902 may include various types of computer-readablestorage media in the form of one or more lower speed memory units,including an internal (or external) hard disk drive (HDD) 914, amagnetic floppy disk drive (FDD) 916 to read from or write to aremovable magnetic disk 918, and an optical disk drive 920 to read fromor write to a removable optical disk 922 (e.g., a CD-ROM or DVD). TheHDD 914, FDD 916 and optical disk drive 920 can be connected to thesystem bus 908 by a HDD interface 924, an FDD interface 926 and anoptical drive interface 928, respectively. The HDD interface 924 forexternal drive implementations can include at least one or both ofUniversal Serial Bus (USB) and IEEE 1394 interface technologies. Thecomputing system 902 is generally is configured to implement all logic,systems, methods, apparatuses, and functionality described herein withreference to FIGS. 1-8.

The drives and associated computer-readable media provide volatileand/or nonvolatile storage of data, data structures, computer-executableinstructions, and so forth. For example, a number of program modules canbe stored in the drives and memory units, non-volatile memory 910,volatile memory 912, including an operating system 930, one or moreapplication programs 932, other program modules 934, and program data936. In one embodiment, the one or more application programs 932, otherprogram modules 934, and program data 936 can include, for example, thevarious applications and/or components of the system 100, includinglayer decryption processor 144, account verification processor 146, andso forth.

A user can enter commands and information into the computing system 902through one or more wire/wireless input devices, for example, a keyboard938 and a pointing device, such as a mouse 940. Other input devices mayinclude microphones, infra-red (IR) remote controls, radio-frequency(RF) remote controls, game pads, stylus pens, card readers, dongles,finger print readers, gloves, graphics tablets, joysticks, keyboards,retina readers, touch screens (e.g., capacitive, resistive, etc.),trackballs, trackpads, sensors, styluses, and the like. These and otherinput devices are often connected to the processor 904 through an inputdevice interface 942 that is coupled to the system bus 908, but can beconnected by other interfaces such as a parallel port, IEEE 1394 serialport, a game port, a USB port, an IR interface, and so forth.

A monitor 944 or other type of display device is also connected to thesystem bus 908 via an interface, such as a video adaptor 946. Themonitor 944 may be internal or external to the computing system 902. Inaddition to the monitor 944, a computer typically includes otherperipheral output devices, such as speakers, printers, and so forth.

The computing system 902 may operate in a networked environment usinglogical connections via wire and/or wireless communications to one ormore remote computers, such as a remote computer 948. The remotecomputer 948 can be a workstation, a server computer, a router, apersonal computer, portable computer, microprocessor-based entertainmentappliance, a peer device or other common network node, and typicallyincludes many or all of the elements described relative to the computingsystem 902, although, for purposes of brevity, only a memory/storagedevice 950 is illustrated. The logical connections depicted includewire/wireless connectivity to a local area network (LAN) 952 and/orlarger networks, for example, a wide area network (WAN) 954. Such LANand WAN networking environments are commonplace in offices andcompanies, and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such asintranets, all of which may connect to a global communications network,for example, the Internet.

When used in a LAN networking environment, the computing system 902 isconnected to the LAN 952 through a wire and/or wireless communicationnetwork interface or adaptor 956. The adaptor 956 can facilitate wireand/or wireless communications to the LAN 952, which may also include awireless access point disposed thereon for communicating with thewireless functionality of the adaptor 956.

When used in a WAN networking environment, the computing system 902 caninclude a modem 958, or is connected to a communications server on theWAN 954, or has other means for establishing communications over the WAN954, such as by way of the Internet. The modem 958, which can beinternal or external and a wire and/or wireless device, connects to thesystem bus 908 via the input device interface 942. In a networkedenvironment, program modules depicted relative to the computing system902, or portions thereof, can be stored in the remote memory/storagedevice 950. It will be appreciated that the network connections shownare exemplary and other means of establishing a communications linkbetween the computers can be used.

The computing system 902 is operable to communicate with wired andwireless devices or entities using the IEEE 802 family of standards,such as wireless devices operatively disposed in wireless communication(e.g., IEEE 802.16 over-the-air modulation techniques). This includes atleast Wi-Fi (or Wireless Fidelity), WiMax, and Bluetooth™ wirelesstechnologies, among others. Thus, the communication can be a predefinedstructure as with a conventional network or simply an ad hoccommunication between at least two devices. Wi-Fi networks use radiotechnologies called IEEE 802.11x (a, b, g, n, etc.) to provide secure,reliable, fast wireless connectivity. A Wi-Fi network can be used toconnect computers to each other, to the Internet, and to wire networks(which use IEEE 802.3-related media and functions).

Various embodiments may be implemented using hardware elements, softwareelements, or a combination of both. Examples of hardware elements mayinclude processors, microprocessors, circuits, circuit elements (e.g.,transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and so forth), integratedcircuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmablelogic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmablegate array (FPGA), logic gates, registers, semiconductor device, chips,microchips, chip sets, and so forth. Examples of software may includesoftware components, programs, applications, computer programs,application programs, system programs, machine programs, operatingsystem software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines,subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces,application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code,computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values,symbols, or any combination thereof. Determining whether an embodimentis implemented using hardware elements and/or software elements may varyin accordance with any number of factors, such as desired computationalrate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input datarates, output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and otherdesign or performance constraints.

One or more aspects of at least one embodiment may be implemented byrepresentative instructions stored on a machine-readable medium whichrepresents various logic within the processor, which when read by amachine causes the machine to fabricate logic to perform the techniquesdescribed herein. Such representations, known as “IP cores” may bestored on a tangible, machine readable medium and supplied to variouscustomers or manufacturing facilities to load into the fabricationmachines that make the logic or processor. Some embodiments may beimplemented, for example, using a machine-readable medium or articlewhich may store an instruction or a set of instructions that, ifexecuted by a machine, may cause the machine to perform a method and/oroperations in accordance with the embodiments. Such a machine mayinclude, for example, any suitable processing platform, computingplatform, computing device, processing device, computing system,processing system, computer, processor, or the like, and may beimplemented using any suitable combination of hardware and/or software.The machine-readable medium or article may include, for example, anysuitable type of memory unit, memory device, memory article, memorymedium, storage device, storage article, storage medium and/or storageunit, for example, memory, removable or non-removable media, erasable ornon-erasable media, writeable or re-writeable media, digital or analogmedia, hard disk, floppy disk, Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CD-ROM),Compact Disk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW),optical disk, magnetic media, magneto-optical media, removable memorycards or disks, various types of Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), a tape, acassette, or the like. The instructions may include any suitable type ofcode, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executablecode, static code, dynamic code, encrypted code, and the like,implemented using any suitable high-level, low-level, object-oriented,visual, compiled and/or interpreted programming language.

The foregoing description of example embodiments has been presented forthe purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise formsdisclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light ofthis disclosure. It is intended that the scope of the present disclosurebe limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claimsappended hereto. Future filed applications claiming priority to thisapplication may claim the disclosed subject matter in a differentmanner, and may generally include any set of one or more limitations asvariously disclosed or otherwise demonstrated herein.

1. An apparatus, comprising: a memory to store instructions; andprocessing circuitry, coupled with the memory, operable to execute theinstructions, that when executed, cause the processing circuitry to:identify a matrix code; read a first layer of the matrix code, the firstlayer comprising a first account identifier associated with an account,wherein the first layer corresponds to a first color channel; and read asecond layer of the matrix code, the second layer comprising a set ofaccount data, associated with the account, wherein the second layercorresponds to a second color channel, different than the first colorchannel, wherein at least one color channel of the first color channeland the second color channel lies at least partially outside of thevisible light range.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, the processingcircuitry to: read a third layer of the matrix code, the third layercomprising a second account identifier, associated with the account,wherein the third layer corresponds to a third color channel, differentfrom the first color channel and the second color channel.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 2, the first layer comprising an account number of afinancial account, the third layer comprising a router number of thefinancial account, and the second layer comprising an account balance ofthe financial account.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the thirdcolor channel comprises a luminance channel, wherein a lightness isexpressed as a numerical value.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, the matrixcode comprising an address, the processing circuitry to: transmit atleast one layer of the matrix code to the address, upon reading of thefirst layer and the second layer.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, thematrix code comprising a set of encrypted information, embedded in atleast one layer of the matrix code.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, thematrix code comprising a two-dimensional bar code.
 8. A method,comprising: receiving a message, comprising a matrix code, the matrixcode comprising: a first layer comprising a first account identifierassociated with an account, wherein the first layer corresponds to afirst color channel; and a second layer, the second layer comprising aset of account data, associated with the account, wherein the secondlayer corresponds to a second color channel, different than the firstcolor channel; and transmitting a response to the message, the responsecomprising a transaction authorization, associated with the account,wherein at least one color channel of the first color channel and thesecond color channel lies at least partially outside of the visiblelight range.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one layer of thematrix code comprises a set of encrypted information, the method furthercomprising: receiving a decryption key, associated with the matrix code;and decrypting the set of encrypted information using the decryptionkey, to generate a set of unencrypted information.
 10. The method ofclaim 8, the matrix code further comprising: a third layer, the thirdlayer comprising a second account identifier, associated with theaccount, wherein the third layer corresponds to a third color channel,different from the first color channel and the second color channel. 11.The method of claim 10, the first layer comprising an account number ofa financial account, the third layer comprising a router number of thefinancial account, and the second layer comprising an account balance ofthe financial account, wherein at least one of the account number, therouter number, and the account balance is received in encrypted form.12. The method of claim 9, wherein the matrix code is received at afirst address, wherein the set of encrypted information comprises afirst set of encrypted information, arranged in the first layer, and asecond set of encrypted information, arranged in the second layer, themethod further comprising: after the decrypting the first set ofencrypted information, transmitting the second set of encryptedinformation to a second address, the second address being embedded inthe matrix code.
 13. The method of claim 8, the matrix code comprising atwo-dimensional bar code.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein at leastone channel comprises a luminance channel, wherein a lightness isexpressed as a numerical value.
 15. A non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium, storing computer-readable program code executable by aprocessor to: receive a message, comprising a matrix code, the matrixcode comprising: a first layer comprising a first account identifierassociated with an account, wherein the first layer corresponds to afirst color channel, and a second layer, the second layer comprising aset of account data, associated with the account, wherein the secondlayer corresponds to a second color channel, different than the firstcolor channel; and transmit a response, to the message, the responsecomprising transaction authorization, associated with the account,wherein at least one color channel of the first color channel and thesecond color channel lies at least partially outside of the visiblelight range.
 16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 15, wherein at least one layer of the matrix code comprises a setof encrypted information, the computer readable program code to: receivea decryption key, associated with the matrix code; and decrypt the setof encrypted information using the decryption key, to generate a set ofunencrypted information.
 17. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of claim 15, the matrix code further comprising: a thirdlayer, the third layer comprising a second account identifier,associated with the account, wherein the third layer corresponds to athird color channel, different from the first color channel and thesecond color channel.
 18. The non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of claim 17, the first layer comprising an account number of afinancial account, the third layer comprising a router number of thefinancial account, and the second layer comprising an account balance ofthe financial account, wherein at least one of the account number, therouter number, and the account balance is received in encrypted form.19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16,wherein the matrix code is received from at first address, wherein theset of encrypted information comprises a first set of encryptedinformation, wherein the matrix code is received at a first address,wherein the set of encrypted information comprises a first set ofencrypted information, arranged in the first layer, and a second set ofencrypted information, arranged in the second layer, the computerreadable code to transmit the second set of encrypted information to asecond address.
 20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumof claim 15, the matrix code comprising a two-dimensional bar code, andwherein the first color channel or the second color channel comprises anear infrared color range or an ultraviolet color range.